The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-09-03

Governor Nichols Address.

Governor Nichols Address. 4
The following is the opening
campaign speech delivered by Gen.
Nichols in East Baton Rouge
on the 25th:
Fellow-citizens More than ten years
have elapsed since addressed the peo-
pie of this parish. 1t was during the
canvass OF 1876, when the people of this
state were making a supreme effort to
break the political shackles which had
bound them since the war. 1t was a
campaign of earnestness, zeal and pa
triotism, and, in the midst OF a success
sion Of immense and enthusiastic gath
erings then held, that Of East Baton
Ronge stands out in my memory in bold
relief 1t gives me great pleasure to
meet and greet you again and 1t gratlries
me to see that you have lost none OF
your public spirit, or OF your profound
interest in public affairs.
We are on the eve OF another election
destined III my opinion to be of the very
highest importance both to the state and
to the Democratic party. My name has
nomination for Governor and it is by
reason Of that fact chat l am present with
You on this occasion.
When, by the effect OF the constitution
of 1879, / ceased to be governor. believed
and intended that my connection with
political life in so far as the holding OF
political Office was concerned had ter
minated forever. find myself to-day
L. ~ 10 xr
part in a political campaign with my
name before the people for nomination.
My object in SO doing is to attempt
to unity and hold together the Democratic
party Of Louisiana, which is now greatly
divided and in which l scarcely recog-
nize the working, active Democratic party
OF the past. believe its harmony, success
and perpetuation to be essential to the
welfare Of our people, and 50 believing !
have deemed it my duty to respond to the
wishes of the very many Democrats OF
the state who have declared to me that
in Judgment my nomination and election
would have tendency to attain that result
/ have noticed, for several years past,
| the growing dissatisfaction with the party
| management and the party administration
Of state affairs, and l have sought to trace
this dissatisfaction to its source and
cause. find that there is very general
sentiment among the people that the
tone OF the party and OF its officials i
greatly below what the Democratic
| masses had the right to expect. A
general belief that these officials have
many of them been selected from me1
who regard public Offices not as public
| trust, but as instrumentalities in and
through which their personal interes
| could be subserved, and vfho have sough'
them for that purpose-a general belize
exists that whilst these officials have, X
a very large extend, resolved themselves
into close corporation for the continu
ance of their own individual hold OF
Office, they themselves were selected with
reference to the continuance in perpetual
power of those who placed them in posi-
ton. / find that there Is q general be
lief that the Democratic party has bees
divided by the officials of the state int
two absolutely distinct classes, the ONT
including in it some OF the purest an(
best men of Louisiana, who are expected
on all occasions to vote with the part,
and insure its success, but are rigidl.
excluded from all participations in it
counsels or its honors, the other compac
body made up of the personal poiitica
adherents OF the powers that be, that thu
indispensable condition of admission t.
this select body is a blind, absolute
passive obedience to and support OF it
chosen heads, that talent and ability g
for nothing, honesty and faithful devotet
party service 90 for nothing, and tina
the wishes of the Democratic parishe
and districts 90 for nothing. find tina
there is general belief that the powe
lof selection for local office has been fire.
quently turned over in different parishe
to a chosen few, and judicious publ
sentiment in respect thereto has beel
thoroughly ignored / find that the Dem
ocratic masses feel that many law
have been enacted, the passage OF whicl
could have been prevented, and that man
J have failed to pass, which we're evidentl
for the public good
Now, my follow-citizens, whether thi
belief II well founded or not, it certainl
, exists, md the effect of that belief ha
been greatly detrimental to the party j
the past. and its continuance will, IN m
, opinion, be disastrous to it in the future
, 1t behooves all good Democrats to brea
this down by change IN the Leadership
OF and change in the councils OF To
party. am opposed strongly to persona
, government. / recognize the prophet
! of selecting ones political adherent
within certain limits, but there shout
be Judgment brought to bear in tbs
matter. The good and unity OF the part
and the wishes OF enocratic const
: tuencies should be consulted and heedet
3 / am opposed to the prescription OF
nortion Of the paty: j am opposed
transferring and delegating to particuls
individuals the power of selection Il
| local Offices, and believe can ver
safely point to my past record as evident
Of the truth OF the declaration made
me in Baton Rouge in 1876. when accel
I ting the Democratic nomination at ths